Answer this question truthfully
### Question: What causes Aspiration pneumonia?
### Response: Risk factors for aspiration or breathing in of foreign material into the lungs are:
Being less alert due to medicines, illness, or other reasons Coma Disorders of the esophagus, the tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach (esophageal stricture, gastroesophageal reflux) Drinking large amounts of alcohol Medicine to put you into a deep sleep for surgery (general anesthesia) Old age Poor gag reflex in people who are not alert (unconscious or semi-conscious) after a stroke or brain injury Problems with swallowing
Acidic material that is breathed into the lungs can cause severe lung injury. However, it may not necessarily lead to pneumonia.